Leiji Matsumoto plans to link all his creations in new work

Leiji Matsumoto, the Galaxy Express 999 creator and Daft Punk collaborator/animator, announced a grand plan while guesting at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival last week. He stated that he wants to create a story that will tie all his previous works together across space and time. “I’ve already decided on a title,” he said, but held back on any further hints.

Matsumoto also fantasised about going to Mars, saying “It’s fine if I don’t come back, so I want to get on a JAXA rocket”. He added the afterthought, “Before I die I want to see Earth from space with my own eyes”. From the sounds of it, the mangaka of more than six decades might be thinking of this latest project as his swansong. We have to wonder if this is the case, and whether Daft Punk or INTERSTELLA 5555 will be roped into this linked universe work too. But watch this space.

Matsumoto debuted as a manga artist in 1953, while still in high school, with Michibachi no Boken (Honeybee’s Adventure). He went on to create Galaxy Express 999, Space Pirate Captain Harlock and Queen Emereldas, which all inspired multiple anime or live-action adaptations. He additionally contributed designs to the original anime Space Battleship Yamato, writing and drawing its tie-in manga. Then, of course, there was his work supervising music videos for Daft Punk’s Discovery album, which were strung together to form the film INTERSTELLA 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem.

3 Comments on Leiji Matsumoto plans to link all his creations in new work

Hmm, I am really wondering how he is going to tie all,of his previous works together. That seems like an almost impossible mission, butbI do like the premise and the plan for this. I am a great fan of his work especially Captain Harlock. Really interested in this project, can’t wait to see how this will turn out 😊